This Teenager’s Intellect Is Guaranteed to Intimidate You

As the intro to this video says, “Tim Doner is a 17-year-old hyper-polygot who speaks 20 languages. He is the youngest known person in the world with this capability.”

What follows is Doner’s tour through what is the multicultural smorgasbord of New York City. “I think what’s great about living in New York is that you can really practice any language you want.” he says. “This is arguably the most linguistically diverse spot on Earth.” He converses with cab drivers in their native language. He chats with Turkish and Arabic store owners. “I feel that by studying languages, by looking at what’s old and what’s new, you get a greater appreciation for society’s values and its entire history.”